HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 491, 26 April 1909, Page 3

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

.' ,; (IROMOUtt SPECIAL VBEPOBTEB.). , .. SLOWER HUTT TOWN' HALL. . At a meeting of the Lower' Hutt Borough Council on' Friday evening, Councillor Russell brought up his notice of motion regarding the .Town Hall lease. -It was as follows:— / ';'* -"That a strict inquiry by a special com-.:; ■'•'.; mittee he held into, the circumstances under • i which the lease : of the new offices, Council Chamber, and library, held by the council from Mr. J. C. Hawthorn, was placed be.fore the' council- for signature, ; without -'. . having been first submitted to the council's; '■.' solicitor for perusal."; ; '. ■ Some forcible language,was. used by..various councillors,regarding the value of the contract, and the Mayor,,(Mr. T. A. Peterkin) and Councillor Ward and Baldwin .were; emphatic in the statement that the inducement held out to the council to take the offices : from Mr. Hawthorn had been the promise of a much r needed' hall. ; The, opinion was expressed, that, had the Mayor and councillors;been aware that the ' lease 'did' not contain the necessary legal' provision for enforcing the covenant, .the Borough Council would: not have (vacated their old premises.' .! ■ ' " The motion was withdrawn, Councillor -Russell stating, that, if .elected as Mayor,- he would bring the matter before the-new council .with, a view to making, inquiry as. to why the borough solicitor had; not ; been instructed to peruse the lease before it was submitted to the council for signature. r, SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS, i. , Nominations for the Lower Hutt School Committee are:—Messrs., T. H. Wilson (the present Chairman), A. Macaskill, J. 0. Anson, A.--'-B.' Webley, J. L. Barlow, H. Baldwin, W. Hendry, E. P. Rishworth, T. E.Shiel, and W. Taylor.It is probable that, among other candidates to be announced/ will be three ladies, viz., Mesdames Keay, Maule, and Reade. . / .-.'•■;• 'i Close on twenty nominations are expected , for the Petone. School Committee. The following have so far been received:—Messrs. I). Mackenzie, J. W. List, P. Cairns, W. Hill, A. Marsden, K. Brocklebank, J. Macdougall,'Rev. J. D. Russell, W.Burd, J. Ivrahall. All but the two last-named are members, of the retiring committee, and Mr. Ivrahall. is an excommitteeman. In connection: with the clec- : tfon, : which takes.place this ovening, a: musical programme of a varied nature has been arranged,:in order that householders may have something to occupy them, while awaiting the announcement of. the scrutineers. The • committee election in-Petone usually arouses great interest. At /the laßt'. householders' meeting two of the.large schoolrooms, were crowded. :•'■:,;;■ JOTTINGS.'-;;' The last meeting of the Petone Borough Council will be held this evening, and it is likely that the balance-sheet, already published .to "the council, will bo discussed. The woollen mills at Petone are having a slack time, and it is stated that, the number ' of hands employed'will be reduced next week, unless trade brightens. .'Already the working . day has been reduced by one hour, and several of the staff. havo been paid off. . ' / .;. .Supporters of .No-License in the' Hutt dis- ■ trict have been circularised,'as to. contributions for paying off the money expended m i the proceedings' following upon the November poll. - It is stated that by landing their shipment of timber at the Petone Wharf, the; Hutt Valley.Timber Co. made a saving of Bd. per iooft. .;, ,"■• '}:;■■■ ■;■■.-• ~ ■-, •